Proliferative scarring is a human disease with neither available effective treatment nor relevant animal model. One of the hypotheses for scar formation involves deregulation of fibroblast signaling and delayed apoptosis. Here, we introduce a new chemical-free method for fibroblast density control in culture by intermittently delivered pulsed electric fields (IDPEF), which cause irreversible damage to cell membranes. Using 5100 pulses with electric field strength of 150V/mm, pulse duration 70 mu s, and frequency of 1Hz, we investigated the effects of PEF application on growth, death, and regeneration of normal human dermal fibroblasts in culture. We found that the fraction of fibroblasts that survive depends on the number of pulses applied and follows a Weibull distribution. We have successfully developed an IDPEF protocol that controls fibroblasts density in culture. Specifically, through application of IDPEF every 72h for 12 days, we maintain a normal human dermal fibroblast density in the 3.1 +/- 0.2x1051.4 +/- 0.2x105cell/mL range. Our results suggest that IDPEFs may prove useful as a non-chemical method for fibroblast density control in human wound healing. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2013; 110: 17591768. (c) 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.